“We have received notification that Naomi
Osaka cannot start in Berlin. After consulting her management, she will take a
break,” said a spokesman for the Berlin tournament, which starts June 14.
Osaka has not said when she plans to play
next, casting doubt on her participation at Wimbledon, which starts on June 28,
and the Tokyo Olympics.
The 23-year-old four-time Grand Slam winner
has been in the spotlight since withdrawing from Roland Garros after a dispute
over her refusal to attend press conferences.
As a result, French tennis officials fined
Osaka $15,000 and threatened to axe her from the tournament for not honoring
mandatory media commitments, prompting the Japanese star to withdraw.
On Saturday, Osaka, who revealed her
ongoing battle with depression and anxiety which she said having to face the
media exacerbated, thanked her supporters in a brief message on Instagram.